Nature-based solutions can reduce the negative effects of climate change by mitigating the risk of droughts with water retention, increasing infiltration, controlling stormwater runoff and by decreasing atmospheric greenhouse gas emission. The carbon footprint of wastewater treatment plants is significant; the processes are energy-intensive and thus high CO2 emitters. The technology of wine making creates wastewater with extremely high organic content and is coupled with high carbon footprint. Its treatment poses challenges for wastewater plants. This study focuses on the wastewater of winemaking process and its negative effects on carbon-footprint and the wastewater management opportunities of the Csengőd wastewater treatment plant in Hungary. The traditional wastewater treatment and the potential implementation of a poplar plantation were assessed economically and environmentally. The energy consumption and the carbon footprint reduction were compared in the two cases to evaluate their sustainability. Significant energy savings and economic benefits can be achieved by the trade-off between traditional treatment and the use of nature-based solutions. The assessment is novel, because it evaluates all three sustainability pillars, considering: benefits with pay-off through technological processes, environmental aspects and additionally the interests of stakeholders. A poplar plantation can be used to pre-treat wastewater of a winery and thus effectively reduce the high organic concentration – thereby protecting the sensitive technologies of traditional wastewater plants. The trade-off results in annual energy savings of 61,823 kWh and CO2 emission reduction of 16,692 kg, which means financial savings. The direct sustainable benefits are € 287,824 over the 50-year life cycle in a small wastewater plant.